Leaving, Promises, Happiness, Love
by Tachibana Ayano
Summary: "I promise that we'll see each other again..." he says. "I love you," I say, holding back my tears. "I love you too." We kiss. It was more than a "kiss". It was a kiss of goodbye.


Ever since that day when I challenged a French student from St Marie France Branch, I studied there just because I won but I never told anyone about this challenge. I never told my friends, teachers, or my family. It was even harder to leave Japan with no one seeing me go to France.

~ Flashback ~

I was called to the principle's office so; I was on my way there. I opened the door, but no one seemed to be inside. I walked inside and saw a foreign lady. She wore a black business jumpsuit and her short auburn hair shined when it reflected the light. She was standing by a window, her back facing me.

"Amano Ichigo," she said, without taking her glance away from the window.

"Yes, that's me," I confirmed her question.

She turned around and had a serious expression on her face.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Shinohara Misaki. I want you to challenge my son, Ryuu. He always wanted to challenge you ever since you won the Grand Prix. I will give him what he wants," she said.

"And what if I decline, his challenge," I ask.

"I will have you resign this school until you agree. During your resignation, I will have you on a complete watch. You may not have any contact with your teachers and friends."

"What?! What gives you the authority to do this?"

"My ancestors where the ones who created this school. I can do anything if I have this family line."

I couldn't believe her ancestors created St. Marie. She just looked like a rich and mean old hag.

"What if I win or lose," I ask.

"If you win, I will force you to continue your studies in France, under the lectures of Top-Class Patissiers. If you lose, I will give you the same punishment if you do not agree," she says with a smile.

"That unfair! Other way, I have to leave my school and my friends!"

"It's life, Amano-san. When you grow up, you are no longer that little kid anymore. Along the way, you will have to leave your friends to pursue your dream."

"But…"

"I will have you agree."

"If it's the only choice I have… Then… Yes."

"Okay. This challenge is meant to be a secret. I will only contact your family, teachers, and the chairman about this. If you tell anyone about this, you will automatically lose. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes…"

She left the office and gave me a glare before she left. I left after 5 minutes. I thought about… Well, I couldn't think of anything. I froze.

The bell rang signaling it was the end of the day. I grabbed my stuff and slowly left the school.

"Amano, are you okay?"

I turned around and found that Kashino was worried about me. I wanted to tell him everything that happened, but I couldn't.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired," I said.

"Okay… Make sure you feel better. I'm worried about you," he said.

He turned around quickly, in embarrassment. He left the classroom and I quietly laughed. Crying in between each laugh. I didn't want to leave this place. This is where I found my dream, my passion in being a patissiere. I left the classroom and walked back home.

When I opened the door Natsumi quickly grabbed my arm and forced me to sit down on the couch. My parents also came in the room with worried faces.

"We got called about your competition… Are you really going to do this, Ichigo," my mom asked.

"I have to. Either that, or I have to quit my dream as a patissiere," I said.

"Onee-chan…" Natsumi silently said.

"It's fine Natsumi, I'm going to be fine."

I slowly got up the chair and walked to my room. I sat down on my bedroom, thinking on what should I do. I was powerless.

~ The Day of the Competition ~

I walked into the kitchen and found my parents and Natsumi sitting in the front row. The teachers were down and the chairman was sitting in the middle. Misaki was on the side of where Ryuu place was.

"Ready Amano-san," the chairman asked.

"Yes," I said.

I walked to the middle and Ryuu did the same. We both shook hands and went back to our places.

"You must make Tarte Tatin," the chairman announced.

"Begin," one of the teachers said.

I decided to make the Orange Tarte Tatin from when I had that training in France. I got out my ingredients and started to bake. I looked beside me and see Ryuu was very fast and no hesitation was seen in making his tarte tatin, as expected of a France student in St. Marie.

Five minutes were left and I did the final touches of the dessert. Once everything was done, I set my cake on a beautiful plate, so I would look pleasing and fancy to the eye. A ring was sounded, signaling that creating was over, now for the judging.

"Stop right there. The time is over," the Chairman said.

They walked to Ryuu first and I peeked at what he did. His tarte tatin had a similar look to a normal tarte tatin, but somehow this one felt special.

"My tarte tatin is based off France's capital, Paris. Please taste the wonderful feeling off living in Paris under the sun, since it is summer," Ryuu said, with a gentle smile.

The teachers and the chairman tasted his cake and looked as if they were in heaven.

"The soft crust has a distinct taste of the eggs I tasted in Paris. Hm… and this taste of the ganache… could it be that you added a little mint to this or even lemon," one of the teachers asked.

"Yes, I wanted to give off a refreshing taste of Paris, so I added a little mint and a hint of lemon," Ryuu said.

"Interesting… Yes, I could feel me relaxing under the sun in Paris. Truly this is a magnificent creation."

"Thank you."

Then it was my turn. They crowded my creation.

"Now isn't this a surprise…" one of the teachers said, quietly.

"My tarte tatin is based off the moments I had here at St. Marie.

They all took a bite and were astonished.

"This is such a happy taste and yet it fades to a soft sad taste," a teacher said.

"Yes, the happy taste signifies the happy moments I had here. The sad one is that if I lose or win, Ill say goodbye to this school, my friends, teachers, and moments."

"This… This is the famous tarte tatin in France. This recipe was made by the famous patissier Robert Blanc! This taste… Yes, truly… These tastes… I can truly feel and imagine your memories here."

"Thank you."

The teachers and chairman all huddled up together for the final results. They all agreed on something ad turned around.

"The winner of this competition is… Amano Ichigo!"

I raised my head and the people around me clapped. Ryuu walked up to me and raised his hand for a handshake. I shook his hand.

"Your skills are impressive indeed," he said.

"Thanks," I said.

Misaki walked up to me and handed me a slip of schedules.

"As we promised, you will go to France to study there. I will meet you at these times that are listed on these papers. I will see you next time at the airport," she said.

I nodded my head. Misaki and Ryuu left the kitchen. I walked to my family and they weakly smiled.

"Well, you have to go back to France don't you," my mom asked.

"Yeah…" I said.

"Well let's go pack up your stuff."

We all left the building, without saying any word. Tomorrow I had to leave and probably I will never come back here again.

I walked to class and a teacher told me I had to announce that I had to leave the school. I nodded. My throat burned and was dry. How could I possibly tell them?

I walked inside the classroom and all eyes were on me.

"Be quiet. All of you don't know, but Amano-san will be transferred back to France," my teacher said.

A loud gasp held all over the class. I weakly smiled and my friends cried.

"I wish that I could stay here forever and graduate with you, but I have to go chase my dream. I am so happy to be with you guys until the end," I said.

I sat in my seat and tried to hide my tears.

It was finally the end of the day and I packed up all my stuff to go to the airport. When I opened my drawer a beautiful wooden box was placed inside. I opened it and letters came out and I cried from who they from. They were friends I made here, even Tennouji-san wrote me one. I read all of them and I came across my last letter. I read the name on the envelope. I was surprised who the person was. Kashino wrote me a letter? I hurriedly opened the envelope and every word was written clearly.

 _Dear Amano,_

 _I heard what happened to you. I hate myself for not even noticing were in so much pain and yet, you took the challenge. Well, either way you will have to leave. Let me just say this to you. Keep your head up. Never look down. Always do your best. Ugh, this letter is already so embarrassing, but I want to tell you this straight. I'm probably am going to regret putting this in this letter. I love you. There is not one person in this world who makes me feel like this other than you. You started off as a novice and yet you grew to a true patissiere. Wait for me in France. I will see you again. ~Kashino Makoto_

I cried and laughed at the same time. I kept reading the letter over and over again. I smiled at the thought of him writing this letter. I knew he would always have trouble writing things like these. He would constantly throw papers in his trash and stressed to think of what to write. But what got me is that he actually said he loved me. I wanted to see him right now and hug him or something. I heard a knock at my door and I walked towards the door and opened it. There stood Kashino is his casual clothes. My heart skipped a beat.

"Hey," he said.

"What are you doing here," I asked.

"Hey lets go out."

"Eh?"

"Go dress in something nice."

"Uhm… Okay…"

I did what he told me and he led me to a church. We both went inside and it was absolutely gorgeous inside. There was also no one inside. I walked inside slowly and walked to every inch of the church.

"Kashino, what are we doing here," I asked.

He took my hand and I look at him, my face flush pure red. He looked deeply in my eyes. My heart beat faster and felt as if it was going to go out of my chest.

"Kashino…" I said softly.

"Amano… I know I can't change how this situation you're going through, but as I said in the letter, I love you. Words cannot express this feeling I have towards you. So I'm going to make a promise to you. I will do everything just to make us be with each other again. I may not have the power now, but one day we will see each other again," he said.

He softly stroked my hair and moved his hand to my cheek. I flinched when he touched me. I look at him and he looks at me. Our gazes lock as our heads come closer. We lightly kiss and I feel that every one of my worries and stressful moments are gone. As we pull back, Kashino pulls me in for an embrace. One hand is around my waist and the other stroking the back of my head. I respond by hugging him around his waist.

"I love you," Kashino says.

"I love you, too," I say back.

We kiss one more time and I hold on to Kashino's jacket because I never want to let go of him, I never want to leave him.

To Be Continued

A\N: How was this first Chapter? It actually took me years to make a Yumeiro Patissiere fanfiction so, I hope this is good. Oh well. Haha. Give me any suggestions and I will be sure to read them :) ~Ayano~


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